My Husband Chose His Ex I Became His Regret novel Chapter 99

.

Chapter 99

I look at the note again.

You should have chosen better people.

Not her.

People.

Plural.

That’s interesting.

“I think Evelyn enjoyed attention much to disappear quietly without incentive “I say.

Lila crosses her arms loosely.

“You think someone pulled her out.” she says.

“I think someone may have escalated this beyond her intentions.” I reply.

The words settle heavily between us.

Lila absorbs information visibly when she’s stressed. I can watch her mind sorting through possibilities.

“What happens if the press realizes she’s missing?” she asks.

“Chaos” I say.

“Attractive.” she says.

I almost smile.

Almost.

Then my phone rings again.

It’s Thomas.

“Tell me I say.

His voice comes tight through the speaker.

“We found another scheduled release.” he says.

My jaw hardens instantly.

“What is it?” I ask.

A recording. he replies.

Cold slides down my spine.

“Of what?” I ask.

There’s a pause.

You and Lila.

The room stills around me.

10:0

Mon, Jun 1

Chapter 99

I look at her automatically.

She already knows from my face that this is bad.

“How old?” I ask quietly.

“Months ago. he replies.

Jesus Christ.

That narrows things significantly.

Even if neither of us admitted it yet.

“Send it” I say.

“Aidan…”

“Send it “I repeat.

The file arrives before the call ends.

Audio only.

Three minutes, eleven seconds.

I stare at the play button.

Then at Lila.

“No” she says immediately.

I blink once.

“What?” I ask.

“You are not listening to intimate emotional material involving me without psychological support and caffeine” she says.

Despite everything a short rough laugh leaves me.

God.

This woman.

The world is collapsing publicly around us. She still sounds like herself.

It saves me every time.

I rub a hand slowly across my jaw.

“We need to know what’s in it “I say.

“Yes” she says carefully. “Maybe not while already emotionally compromised.”

That sounds suspiciously therapeutic. “I say.

Tve been in therapy for a while.” she replies. “Some of it had to stick.”

Something painful and tender twists through my chest.

10:03 Mon, Jun 1 MM.

Chapter 99

Because of course she has.

Of course someone taught her how to survive emotional warfare professionally.

I look at the file again.

Then finally tap play.

At first there’s static.

Movement.

Muffled city noise.

Then my own voice.

Sharp. Distracted.

“You should have gone home hours ago.”

Silence.

Then Lilas voice, softer.

Tm aware.”

My stomach tightens immediately.

I remember this night.

Storm headquarters.

Past midnight.

A merger issue.

Rain against the windows.

Her heels abandoned beneath my office sofa.

Christ.

The recording continues.

You’re exhausted.” I say in the audio.

“So are you.” she replies.

“I own the company. I’m contractually obligated. “I say.

A small laugh from her.

God.

Even hearing it secondhand affects me physically.

Then silence again.

Paper shuffling

10:03 Mon, Jun 1 MM.

Chapter 99

Keyboard sounds.

Underneath it all something worse than flirtation.

Comfort.

The terrifying intimacy of two people already emotionally entangled without permission.

The recording jumps slightly.

Edited.

Then my voice again lower now.

“Lila.”

A pause.

“Yes?”

“You should stop looking at me like that.”

Every muscle in my body locks.

Beside me Lila goes completely motionless.

Jesus Christ.

I remember saying it.

I remember the moment.

She had looked up from her laptop across my office with this exhausted expression.

The audio continues.

“Like what?” she asks quietly.

Another pause.

Then my voice.

“Like you want me to do things to you.”

The silence afterward in the recording feels intimate enough to qualify as nudity.

Then Lilas voice, very soft.

“Maybe I do.”

The clip ends there.

I stare at the screen in silence.

Beside me Lila covers her face briefly with one hand.

“Oh my God she says.

I exhale slowly through my nose.

10:03 Mon, Jun 1

Chapter 99

Not scandalous.

That’s the problem.

If it were explicitly sexual legal could bury it easier.

Instead it’s emotionally devastating.

Human.

Believable.

Real enough that even I feel punched in the chest hearing it again.

Lila drops her hand from her face slowly.

“We sound disgustingly in love.” she says.

I look at her.

“Yes.” I say.

She groans quietly. Collapses sideways onto the sofa behind her.

This is a nightmare” she says.

“It’s an articulate nightmare ” I reply.

“Aidan” she says.

“That was a compelling audio. “I say.

She throws a cushion at me.

I catch it automatically.

The smallest flicker of relief moves through me at the fact she still can laugh.

Still reacts like herself now.

Then reality settles again.

The recording.

The leak.

The fact that someone inside Storm archived executive office audio fourteen months ago.

My expression hardens instantly.

Lila notices.

“What?” she asks.

“That recording wasn’t access.” I say.

The humor drains from her face too.

“You think someone inside the company gave it to Evelyn ” she says.

10:03 Mon, Jun

Chapter 99

“Yes.” I reply.

Silence.

Heavy now.

Storm Industries records offices for security compliance under strict encryption.

Access requires authorization from three departments.

Meaning whoever leaked this. Has internal help.

Or substantial external leverage.

I pick up the phone again.

“Thomas.” I say.

“I know” he replies.

“Find out who accessed archive security files within the six months “I say.

“We’re already tracing.” he says.

“No assumptions.” I say flatly. “I want everyone.”

A pause.

Then carefully: “Including the board?”

Møst especially the board.

“Yes.” I say.

I end the call.

Lila watches me quietly from the sofa.

“You think Victor Harlow is involved.”

Not a question.

I look at her sharply.

“What makes you say that?” I ask.

“Your expressions.” she says.

Despite everything I laugh softly.

Then stop.

Because she’s right.

I walk toward the windows slowly.

Snow still falls beyond the glass. The lake frozen silver beneath the pale morning sky.

Beautiful morning for catastrophe.

Chapter 99

I think someone is funding this because destabilizing me benefits them financially I say carefully

“Evelyn'” she asks.

“Useful I reply.

Lila absorbs that silently.

Then after a moment: “She really loved you once.”

The statement catches me off guard slightly.

I turn back toward her.

“She wouldn’t be this angry otherwise ” I say.

There’s no jealousy in her voice.

That somehow makes it worse.

I study her quietly.

“Aren’t you angry?” I ask.

A tiny humorless smile touches her mouth.

“Oh I’m furious” she says. She tucks one leg beneath herself on the sofa. “I also know what unresolved humiliation looks like.”

My chest tightens unexpectedly.

Because that sentence did not come from nowhere.

Mark again.

The ghost at the edge of every conversation about betrayal.

I walk back, toward her slowly.

Then sit beside her.

Close.

Not touching yet.

“She hurt you.” I say quietly.

Lila looks down briefly.

“Yes,” she says.

Not dramatic.

Not trying to be dramatic.

Just the simple truth.

Something inside me gets really twisted.

10:04 Mon, Jun 1 M&M.

Chapter 99

I wish I could go back in time and take away every person who ever told her that loving someone means you have to be good at handling emotions.

Instead I say:

“She can’t change what we are.”

Lila looks up at me slowly.

“She already is.”

Her words hit hard because she’s right.

People are starting to talk about us.